The correct answer is C. The procedure scientists use to gain knowledge about the physical universe.
Step-by-step explanation:
The scientific method is a non-linear procedure used to answer questions about specific phenomena or understand the world. This method includes a set of steps that are used to create a hypothesis and then tested it successfully. Besides this, the scientific method is applied in most areas related to science because through this scientist can explain or understand the physical universe. According to this, the scientific method can be best described as "The procedure scientists use to gain knowledge about the physical universe".